Wrench



' mllldrn [1. Eagles y 2,1946 w. H. BOYLES 2,403,258

WRENCH I Filed March 9, 1944 Patented July 2, 1946 oFFICE WRENCH YWilliam HlBoyles, Columbiana, Ohio Application March 9, 1944, Serial No.525,662

The invention relates in general to -wrenches, and more particularly topipe wrenches for gripping and turning pipes and the like of varioussizes.

The ordinary pipe wrench in common use includes serrated jaws forgripping the top and bottom of a pipe,.the jaws being adjusted towardoraway' from each other by means of a thumb screw, and the jaws areadapted'to be applied to the pipe from one side thereof for turning thepipe in one direction, butthey must be applied to .the pipe from theopposite side 1 thereof for turning the pipe in the opposite direction.

Where a relativelylarge ordinary pipe wrench is applied to a soft metalpipe, such as brass, the jaw serrations are apt to beforced against thepipe too tightly, so as to crush or bend the same when the thumb screwis adjusted to grip the wrench jaws on the pipe.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel wrench whichmay be adjusted to fit varying sizes of soft metal pipes without dangerof crushing or injuring the pipe. I

Moreover, since the adjusting thumb screw of an ordinary pipe wrench islocated near the jaws, in adjusting the wrench it is often inconvenient4 Claims. (01. 81-78) to reach the adjusting screw when the wrench togrip the pipe for another-partial turn, it is i expedient, if notnecessa to hold the top jaw against the pipe to facilitate gripping thepipe at anew position. This is often very diflicult to accomplish whenworking in a restricted space.

Accordingly, a further object is to provide a novel wrench which may beretracted and gripped on the pipe for a series of partial turns, withoutholding the top jaw against the pipe. In using an ordinary pipe wrenchin restricted spaces, it often happens that there is space enough toapply the wrench to one side of the Pipe for turning it in onedirection, but that it is difficult, if not impossible, to apply thewrench to the opposite side of the pipe for turning it in the otherdirection.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention toprovide a novel and improved wrench which is adapted to grip a pipefrom'one side, for turning the pipe either in one direction or in theopposite direction. 7

These and other objects areattained by the simple, inexpensive andeasily operated structure which is shown, by way of example, in the ac-2 i companying drawing, and hereinafter describedand'claimed. f i

In general terms, the invention maybe stated as including two barsmounted alongside each other, the one bar having a hooked jaw and theother bar having a wedge-shaped jaw end and movable relative to thehooked jaw for cooperating therewith to engage and grip a pipepositioned within the hooked jaw. f 7

Referring to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of theinvention is il1ustrated' Figure 1 i a front elevation of the improvedwrench;

Fig. 2is'a side elevation thereof; V Fig; 3 is a fragmentarysectio'nalviewasi on line3 -3,Fig.2;and

. Fig. dis a sectional view ason lined-4 2 1 Similar numerals refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views of the drawing. As shown inthe drawing, the improved wrench includes a bar 5 having a handleportion 6 at one end and a hooked jaw portion 1 at the othler end. Apreferably straight bar 8 is positioned along the bar 5 at its hookedside, and'the bar 8 has a handle portion 9 at on end and a wedgeshapedor inclined jaw portion H1 at its other end.

'Ihe handle portions '5 and 9 are preferably rounded and tapered, asshown, and may be provided with knobs I l or the like to facilitategripping the handleportions. V J Preferably, the straight bar 8 islongitudinally slidably connected to-the 'bar 5 by means of ,a U-shapedclamp [2, which is riveted or screwed, or otherwise attached,.to the bar5,,as at 13 and which loosely engirdles the bat. Preferablythe outer webM of the clamp 12 i provided with a for urging .the handle portions 6and 9 apartand,

said spring means, preferably constitutes a curved spring plate 16,which is preferably attached to the bar 9 by means of screws H, or thelike.

The hooked jaw portion 1 of the bar 5 is adapted to take over a pipe orround bar, as indicated by the dot-dash lines l8 in Fig. 2, and thehooked jaw is provided with a serrated portion l9 'for engaging the topside of the pipe and with a Serrated end portion 20 for engaging thepipe below center. a V.

Obviously, the hooked. jaw 1 is adapted for fitting various sizes ofpipe, for example, 1%" to 2" diameter for one wrench size, while anotherwrench size may fit a range of pipe sizes below or above the range of 1A" to.2" diameter.

The wedge-shaped or inclined jaw H! of the bar 8 is. adapted to move upor down. within the hooked jaw portion, and the inclined serratedsurface 2| of the jaw portion In is adapted to ene e p pe surface on theside opposite to the serrated portions 19 and 20 of'the hooked jaw T;

By moving the bar 8 up or down the jaw portion.

I is adjusted to grip various sizes of pipe, and

thehooked jaw portion 1 is preferably. provided with a recess 22 forreceiving" the end of the jaw, portion I0 in gripping smaller sizes ofpipe within'the range of sizes for which the wrench "is adapted.

. Az fulcrum. projection is provided oppositet the serrated portion 20at the end of the hooked jaw l and'between thebars and 8 The fulcrumprojection maybe formed: on the bar: 5 as indicated at 23 and provides asharp edge engaging the inner -side of the barB'at or adjacent toits'jaw portion H}. Preferably'jthe inner side of thebar 8- is provided withshallow serrations 24 for receiving the edge of. the fulcrum 23 atvarious adjusted positions of the bar 8;

Preferably, an angularly disposed compression spring. 25 is. providedbetween'the two bars' 5 and 8 for ur ing the bar 8 outwardly andupwardly relative to bar 5,. Y As-shown, the; spring 25-=may be.receivedsuitablerecesses 26 in the: bars 5 and 8, the ends of thespringbeingretainedin counterboresat the ends of the rece'sses.- Thespring 25 is particularly desirable in larger wrench: sizes, but may notbe necessary in smaller sizes i In the operationgof the improved wrench,when thesame is to be applied" to a pipe such as Hi, the bar 8 is moveddownwardlyto-pl-ace its jaw end Ill in aposition suchasindicated. at andheld in such positionto enable the hooked jaw l to; be positioned overand. around the pipe;

The bar 8 is then released and moved manually orby the action of springupwardly until the inclined. surface Zl of: the jaw portion [ibis-inpositiontoengagethe pipe 18; V

T With the jaws in this, position; as shown in Fi gm. fun lines, byipping. the handle portions 6. and 9. and squeezing them. together, thejawportion 10. other 8. will pivot aboutlfulcrum 23. andtheserrationson. surface zl will engage the pipe 18 so as to gripitsecurely betweenthe jaw f0 and thejaw portions,l9 and 20.

Theserrations of the jaw. portions I9, 20 and 2|; are all formed. soasto be directed substantially' radially inward of the pipe, andaccordingly when the. pipe is gripped by squeezing the handle portions 6and19qthe engagement of the pipe at the three spacedlocations enablesthe pipe to be turned eitherin one direction orthe opposite direction,that is, clockwise or counterclockwise as'viewed' in Fig. 2.

When removing the wrench from a pipe, the

bar 8- is pulled downwardlyjto the position IB',

whereupon the hooked jaw may-be lifted off the pipe.

As indicated in the drawing, the bar 5: is preferably thickened from apoint beginning at the Due to the fact [that the bar '8 is pushed or 7apart.

' rip a pipe, in adjusting the novel wrench, there is no danger ofcrushing a soft metal pipe as in the case of the ordinary pipe wrench,where the jaws are screwed toward each other..

' rection, so that it facilitates working in restricted spaces;

Theimproved wrench is simple and inexpensive'to'manufacture, and iseasily operated.

I claim: 1 V 1. 'Wrench construction including a bar having a downwardlyhooked jaw with spaced inner gripping portionsa't one endkand a handleportion at its other end, a second'bar extending along'one edge oisaidfirst bar and having an inclined jaw at one end facing said hooked jawand a handle portion at its other end, means slidably connecting saidbars intermediate theirends for relative longitudinal movement,. aprojection on one of said'bars for engaging the other of said barsadjacent its jaw end whereby movement of the. handle portions of saidbars towards each other causes movement of said inclined jaw toward saidinner gripping portions of the hooked jaw; and means yieldingly' urgingthe handle portions of said bars apart; I V

2. Wrench construction including a bar-having a'downwardly hooked jaw"at one end, spaced ripping-portions on the inner side of said jaw, asecond bar longitudinally slida-bly connected to said'first bar andextending along. the edge thereof facing said hooked jaw, said secondbar having an inclined jaw-at one end forfcooper'ating with said hookedjaw to i grip opposite sides of a pipe at three'spaced locations, afulcrumpro-j jection on one of 'said'bars for" engaging the other ofsaid bars adjacent its jaw end, and means.

yieldingly urging the other ends of said bars Wrench constructionincluding a bar having a hooked jaw atone end forfittinggaround"apipeand-thelike, theouter end'of said: hooked jaw having spacedgrippingportions: adapted: to en.- gageone side of the pipe'below andabove" its center, a straight bar longitudinally slidably connected toand extending alongone-edge of said first bar and having a wedge-shapedjaw portion on one end for entering the hooked jaw and outer endof saidhooked. jaw, a fulcrum located between said bars adjacent their.jatvcnds, and said. jawportions having serrationsdirected substantiallyradially inward. of 'the pipe' for grippingtthe pipe to turn itinopposite directions;

4. Wrench construction including abar having a hooked jaw portion at oneend provided with spaced serrated portions for grippingv one side of apipe below and above its center,.a second barlongitudinally' slidablyconnected to and extending along one edge of said first bar. and havingan inclined jaw portion at oneend'for gripping the opposite side of thepipe andcoo'p eratingwith said hooked jaw" portion .to grip the pipe atthree spaced locations, sprin means located between said bars urgingsaid inclined jaw' portion toward'said hooked jaw .portion,..a

" movediby spring 2 5'. upwardly into-position to 7 fulcrum projectionon one of saidbars for engaging the other of saidi'barsadjacent its ,jawportion, and means yieldingly urging the other ends of said bars apart.7 r

WILLIAMfl-I-L B'OYLES,

